Today’s responsorial Psalm says it all, doesn’t it. Except for one thing. I spend a fair amount of time in the house of the Lord and I don’t see nearly enough rejoicing. For the next four weeks we will be preparing for the celebration of the birth of the Lord. Never in history, recorded or otherwise, has there been a greater gift than God’s gift of His Son to you and me. He sent His Son to die for us so that our sins could be forgiven!

Why do so many people come into Church looking like they’re headed for their own crucifixion? Maybe it’s the terminology. Maybe they shouldn’t have called it the “Sunday obligation.” Obligation implies something you have to do, not something you want to do.

I almost said “I don’t get it”, but unfortunately I do get it. I went several years without going to mass. My excuse was that I didn’t like the priest. But the truth is, I pass two other Catholic churches on the way to my church. I could have gone there. There are two more parishes in the other direction that are no further than “my church”. I could have gone there too. Heck, I could have gone to a different church every Sunday for a month. No, I wasn’t fooling anyone. I was selfish and I was lazy.

Ironically, my kids brought me back to the Church, but they’ve fallen away. My wife and I pray daily that they’ll come back, but in the end I know it was my bad example that led them astray.

But, I digress. Where is the joy? Don’t get me wrong. Some folks are joyful. They radiate excitement at being in the house of the Lord. They’re enthusiasm is contagious. But I guess some folks have been vaccinated. During this season of Advent, let’s pray for them.